Calling
by KateToast
Summary: At some point, the conversation has to be had. No one said it would be easy. Angsty ZC.


A/N: A missing moment that takes place sometime between _Quinn Misses the Mark_ and _Walk-A-Thon_.

XXX

Bzzzzzzz.

"Whose phone is that? Who would be calling at this hour?"

"I think it's Zoey's."

Bzzzzzzz.

"Well then go wake her up, Quinn!"

"Why me?"

"Because you're on the bottom bunk!"

Bzzzzzzz.

"Zo, your phone is ringing!"

Bzzzzzzz.

"Zoey, pick up your stupid phone!"

"Calm down Lola!"

Rustle, rustle.

"Who would be calling me right now?"

Bzzzzzzz.

"Just _pick it up_!"

"Fine! Sheesh."

Click.

"Hello?"

"_Hey… sorry, did I wake you up?"_

"Um, it's like 4 in the morning so… yes. Wait, who is this?"

"_Wow, Zo. You don't even recognize my voice anymore? That hurts."_

"Chase?"

"_Yeah, it's me."_

"It's Chase? Why is he calling?"

"Can you take that outside please? Some of us have an audition in the morning."

Step, step, step, step.

Creak.

Step, step.

"Why are you calling so late? Or early, I guess."

"_I'm sorry. I forgot about the time difference. It's like noon over here."_

"Oh."

"… _You know what, I'll call back some other time-"_

"Wait! Don't hang up. I'm awake now. And alone in the creepy, dark hallway."

"_Yeah… sorry about that."_

"It's okay. So… it's been a while."

"_I know."_

Shift, shift.

"… So… why are you calling?"

"_I don't really know. I just… I needed to hear your voice. I miss you, Zo."_

Sigh.

"I miss you too, Chase."

"_It's been over three months since we've even spoken."_

"I know. But we agreed it would be easier… while you were gone…"

"_I know… but it's been hard for me. Not being with my best friends. I miss everyone. I miss Michael and Logan and the girls. I miss you the most."_

Silence.

"You shouldn't have followed me to England in the first place, Chase."

"_Well I know that now. But when I begged and pleaded with my parents to go here, I had thought I was fighting for the chance to continue being with you."_

Shuffle, shuffle.

"I'm sorry."

"_Don't be. It isn't your fault I was an idiot. I don't know what I was thinking when I decided to follow you to England."_

"You thought you were in love with me."

"_I _was_ in love with you. And I thought you just might be in love with me too, and that we could be in England together and be in love and all that stupid crap they put in movies."_

Cricket, cricket.

"Chase, I should tell you something. Something I should've told you two months ago."

_Sigh. "What is it?"_

"I'm… I'm seeing someone."

…

…

"Chase? Are you still there?"

"_Yeah."_

"I… I should've told you a while ago, it's just, we had agreed to not really talk until you got back so it didn't get complicated, and we both agreed we could see other people, that is, I mean we weren't ever official, we never really dated or anything, and with James it just sort of… happened, I don't know how-"

"_Zoey. Stop. You don't need to explain yourself."_

"You aren't angry?"

"_How can I be angry? We agreed. Like you said, it isn't like we ever dated or anything." _

Sigh.

"_I know I missed my chance. I guess it's time for me to… move on, like you have."_

"Chase, it isn't like-"

"No, it's okay. You don't need to explain."

Silence.

"_So, um, James, huh? Logan and Michael's new roommate? They haven't mentioned you two are dating when I've talked to them."_

"Yeah, we, uh, told them not to. To be… considerate."

"_Oh. I see. Well… thanks, I guess."_

Silence.

"He kind of reminds me of you."

"_What?"_

"James. Sometimes he… nevermind."

"_Um, alright."_

Silence.

"_Hey Zo, did you mean it? When you told me you loved me too?"_

Long, long sigh.

"I did, Chase. I did. And I do love you, you know that."

"_But you aren't _in_ love with me."_

"I don't… I can't… Chase, please don't ask me that sort of thing. I never-… we never-… there wasn't ever a time-…"

_Sigh. "It's okay, Zo, forget I asked."_

Small sniffle.

"Listen, Chase, it's really late, or, well, early, I have to-"

"_Yeah, right, sorry, I didn't mean to keep you-"_

"No, it's fine, it's just late, or, um, early-"

"_Zo, it's okay… It… it was nice to hear your voice. I _needed_ to hear your voice."_

"Yours too."

Silence.

"I'll, um, talk to you later, okay?"

"_Alright."_

"Say hi to my parents for me."

"_Hey, England is a big country, you know. I'm not going to just run into them on the street."_

Chuckle. "You know what I mean."

"_Yeah, I do."_

Silence.

"I love you, Chase."

"_I love you too, Zo. You're still my best friend."_

Sniffle.

"_If you're ever in the neighborhood… let me know."_

"Same here."

"_Take care of yourself."_

"You too. Goodnight, Chase."

"_Goodbye, Zoey."_

Click.

Sniffle, sniffle.

Step, step, step.

Creak.

Rustle, rustle.

Sniffle.

"Zo?"

"Zoey? Are you okay?"

Sniffle.

"Is everything okay with Chase?"

Sniffle.

"Yeah, everything's fine."

Rustle, rustle.

Rustle, rustle.

Step, step, step.

Step, step, step.

Creak.

Creak.

"You guys don't have to lie in my bed with me. I'm fine."

"Thanks for trying to lie to us, but we aren't going anywhere, right Quinn?"

"Correct, Lola."

Rub, rub.

Sniffle.

"I miss him."

"We know you do, Zo."

"We miss him too. Though probably not in the same way."

Sniffle.

"If we could keep this between us…"

"Of course."

"Definitely."

"Thanks, guys."

Silence.

"Oh my God I can't believe we have to be up in three hours."

"Lola… ssshhh."

XXX

_The end._


End file.
